Shazia Sohail, Secretary Ishaat, Lajna Imaillah USA
The Medicine, Science, Learning, Innovation and Mentorship Conference was held between 1-3 July 2023, at the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida, USA. This was probably the first-of-its-kind meeting, hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Medical Association (AMMA), Ahmadi Women Scientists Association (AWSA), and Association of Ahmadi Muslim Scientists (AAMS). With over 50 sessions and 27 poster presentations attended by more than 250 people, this conference offered a broad range of topics from cutting-edge research to career paths, with the goal of connecting rising and experienced professionals in the field of science and medicine across the country to perform their work in light of the teachings of the Holy Quran.
Dr Nadia Malik Sahiba, Nazima-e-A‘la of this conference, said:
“Alhamdulillah, the event exceeded all expectations, and we have received very positive feedback. It has been humbling to see, in particular, the 13-35 age group so engaged, comfortable, and excited to learn together. Overall, it has been very encouraging and a step in the right direction as we set the pace for future events and conferences.”
Dr Shanaz Tejani-Butt Sahiba, Nazima Programme, MSLM23, said:
“Three professional organisations had to collaborate ultimately to come up with an integrated conference. The goal was to generate interest and create content for heterogeneous audiences. […] The first day of the event was all about passion for service. As I walked around the venue and engaged in the sessions, I could feel the electricity and the energy. The second day was about connecting our scientific knowledge with the teachings of the Holy Quran. Our speakers shared their personal career journeys and highlighted the direct impact their work has on the overall betterment of humanity. We also created time and opportunities for attendees to be able to interact and seek mentorship on Day 2. […] The third day was focused on broader, high-level topics to showcase the diverse industries and the scope of impact our fellow Ahmadis are driving and contributing to. Overall, from a programmatic point of view, I believe the audience learned a lot, and the quality of presentations and sessions exceeded expectations each day.”
Dr Nusrat Sharif Sahiba from AWSA USA said:
“As far as I know, this was the first-ever meeting between our three Ahmadi professional associations: AWSA, AMMA, and AAMS, and it truly was a unique event in terms of organisation, agenda, and venue.”
Azhar Haneef Sahib, missionary-in-charge USA, said:
“The conference was excellently organised, and there was a truly great collaboration between seasoned medical professionals, students, and diverse scientists. We created great synergy between our youth and elders, and insha-Allah together we can continue to build a prosperous future.”
Sister Dhiya Bakr Sahiba, Sadr Lajna Imaillah USA, expressed that this event was exhilarating, enlightening, and inspirational. “Alhamdulillah and masha-Allah, this event has got me energised and thinking ahead about all the wonderful things we can accomplish together. This is just a stepping stone; this was just the beginning.”
